Method of filling golf ball cores, centers, or the like



April 1937- J. M. QLE'JHAM 2 ,078,406

METHOD OF FILLING GOLF BALL CORES, CENTERS, OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 24, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet l &

INVENTOR A TTORNEY3 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. M. OLDHAM Filed Feb. 24, 1934 a /////////VA///////////////////// vim- E w -L April 27, 1937.

METHOD OF FILLING GOLF BALL coREs, CENTERS, OR THE LIKE INVENTOR Ja/m /7 0/0??? i a mva s J. M. OLDHAM 2,078,406

METHOD OF FILLING GOLF BALL CORES, OR THE LIKE A ril 27, 1937.

CENTERS Filed Feb. 24, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 April 27, 1937. J. M. OLDHAM METHOD OF FILLING GOLF BALL CORES, CENTERS, OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 24, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR JM/Y /7.' 0/1/7007 Patented Apr. 27, 1937 UNITED STATES METHOD or FILLING GOLF BALL corms, CENTERS, on THE LIKE John M. Oldham, Detroit, Mich-., assignor to Leonard A. Young, Detroit, Mich.

Application February 24, 1934, Serial No. 712,781

14 Claims.

The main object of my invention is to provide an improved method of and means for filling golf ball cores or centers or the like.

Another object is to provide a machine or apparatus for carrying my invention into effect, which is simple and economical in its parts and very efficient and of large capacity in operation.

Objects relating to details and economies of my invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of a machine for filling golf ball cores or centers embodying the features of my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on a line corresponding to line 22 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view, portions being broken away and shown in section at different levels.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detail section taken on line 4--4 of Fig. 6 showing a core about to be filled through the hypodermic needle supporting it.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 with a some- What differently formed core, the expansion of the core wall being indicated by the dotted line.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view in side elevation of a pump cylinder, showing a center in the act of being filled.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary top plan view of a cooling and cleaning apparatus which I employ in the present embodiment.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary top plan view of the conveyor for timing the conditioning of the cement applied to the cores.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary detail section taken on a line corresponding to line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a view in section of a patch which is applied to the cement on the core, the thickness of the patch being greatly exaggerated for purposes of illustration.

Fig. 11 is a top plan view of the core after the patch has been applied thereto.

Fig. 12 is a section taken on line l2|2 of Fig. 11, the thickness of the patch being exaggerated.

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary top plan View of the conveyor for holding the patches in place on the core for a predetermined time, and

Fig. 14 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse section on a line corresponding to line l4'--|4 of Fig. 13.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawings, numeral I indicates a table having an opening 2 in its top 3. on such table top, I mounta cam 4 having a vertical central bore 5 alined with the opening 2. The gas burner 6 is disposed under such opening, the supply of gas to the burner being controlled by the valve 1 in the gas supply pipe 8.

A rotor or turret indicated generally by the numeral 9 is disposed above the cam and a central depending shaft or journal Hl' journaled within the bore 5 thereof. The rotor or turret comprises a central fluid container H provided with the cylindrical water jacket ['2 having Water circulating passages l3 and HI extending to the bottom of the journal l0. heater I5 is supported directly above the gas burner 6 by the hot and cold water pipes I6 and I! connected to the lower end of the journal ID for rotation therewith.

The water jacket [2 is provided with a water level indicator or gauge [8 and a thermometer IS, the bulb of the latter being arranged in the upper end of the hot water pipe 20. The temperature of the fluid 2| in the container ll may The hot water thus be maintained at a substantially uniform temperature. The top of the container is closed by the removable conical cover 22 The temperature of the fluid, preferably buckwheat honey, is preferably maintained between and F. The water jacket I2 is provided with the vent 23 at its top.

In the illustrated embodiment, the rotor 9 is turned at a substantially uniform speed by the motor 24', the latter being connected to the journal ill by means of belt 25, pulley 26, shaft 21, pulley 28, belt 29, pulley 30, clutch 3|, worm 32, and worm gear 33, the worm gear 33 being keyed to the journal 10 at 34. The clutch 3| is normally closed and is adapted tobe opened to stop the rotor by means of the foot pedal 35, the tension spring 36 acting on the connecting rod 3'! to hold the clutch 31 in its normally closed position.

Around the rotor 9, I arrange an annular series of spaced vertical pump cylinders 38 for rotation therewith. The pump cylinders terminate at their lower ends in hypodermic needles 39' carried by the heads). Fluid passages 4| lead from the bottom of the container H to the cylinders 38, the outer ends of the fluid passages providing ports 42 in the cylinders adapted tobe uncovered by the pistons 43 therein when the latter are retracted. In this case, the fluid flows into the cylinders below the pistons by gravity.

The pistons are actuated in their charging strokes by means of the weights 44 radially adjustable on the levers pivoted at 46 to the top of the rotor and connected to the upper ends of the pistons by links 41. With this arrangement, the pistons are advanced slowly but steadily and at a substantially uniform rate to inject a measured quantity of the fluid 2| into the ball centers or cores. The quantity of the fluid delivered by each charge is controlled by the adjustable stop 48 acting to limit the downward travel or charging stroke of the piston 43.

The pistons are retracted by the vertically reciprocating cam followers 49 having rollers 50 at their lower ends resting on the cam 4, their upper ends being connected to the pistons for coaction with the stops 48 by means of the clamps 5|. The cam 4 permits the pistons to complete a pumping or delivery cycle for each revolution of the rotor. The pressure with which the fluid is injected into the centers is readily controlled by adjusting the radial position of the weights 44.

For making golf ball cores, I prefer to use hollow imperforate elastic spheres 53 of rubber consisting of semi-spherical portions united by cement and/or vulcanization, as best illustrated by Fig. 4, the sphere being conventionally illustrated. In Fig. 5, I show a modified form of sphere 54 which is made by placing a pair of rubber sheets in a form so that when a drop of water 55 therebetween is heated by the heat of the vulcanization steam is generated which expands the sheets into the form, the halves of the sphere thus formed being vulcanized together leaving an annular flash 56 considerably exaggerated in the illustration. Inasmuch as both of these methods of forming the hollow rubber spheres are old in the art, they need no further description by me. In either case, the hollow spheres 53 and 54 contain air or gas and in the case of the sphere 54 a certain amount of moisture or water 55 is entrained therein.

In the first step of my method, an operator places the hollow spheres or cores 53 on the hypodermic needles 39 at a station where the pistons are at or approaching their retracted position. The wall of the sphere is pierced by the needle, the friction between these parts being sufficient to hold the sphere in position while the same is being filled with fluid through the hypodermic needle with the wall of the sphere free to expand if it is desired to fill to expansion as indicated in Fig. 5. As the rotor turns, the weight 44 acts to advance the piston 43 which injects the fluid 2!, in this case honey, into the hollow sphere 53. The quantity of the fluid charge is preferably such that it will exactly fill the sphere 53 in its normal or unexpanded state.

The needle has a chisel point and forms its own opening in the wall of the core as the latter is forced onto the needle, as shown in the drawing. The wall of the core grips the needle with suflicient friction to hold the core upon the needle while the filling is injected therein through the needle, and at the same time the air. escapes around the needle, or when that does not occur the core is slightly expanded, as indicated in Fig. 5, which is likely to occur when water is present, and when the needle is drawn the air and the water which are lighter than the honey escape through the opening formed by the needle. However, with a measured quantity designed to exactly fill the core, there does not appear to be any substantial expansion, which indicates that the air escapes around the needle as the core is filled. As no stock is removed, the tension of the walls effectively closes the opening, and as soon as the needle is withdrawn the tension of the walls effectively prevents escape of the filling.

As stated, where water is present, as is the case when the core is formed by the method employing steam to expand the core material into the form, the water rises as the honey is discharged into the core and is discharged from, the core when the needle is withdrawn, the incision, however, closing or being of such dimensions as to effectively prevent the escape of the filling material.

In Fig. 12, the needle incision 58 is shown definitely, but it is understood that in practice the elasticity and tension of the walls close the opening sufficiently to retain the fluid. However, to completely seal the fluid within the core so that it is not discharged during subsequent ball forming operations and under distortions and stresses in using the ball, this incision is covered by a patch 65.

After the cores have been filled with heated fluid, such as honey, as set forth above, they are placed on a foraminate tray 60, Fig. 7, with the incision upward, and immersed in cold water in the tank 6|. The tank 6| is adapted to hold two of the trays so that each tray remains therein for a predetermined time. In this case, the right hand tray is removed and the left hand tray advanced to the right hand side of the tank leaving a space on the left hand side thereof for the new tray. The cold water not only cools the honey in the centers, but also acts to dissolve and clean off any surplus honey which might remain on the spheres in the vicinity of the needle incision. This is a very desirable and important feature of my invention.

After the filled cores have remained in the cooling and cleaning medium for the proper length of time, they are removed, allowed to dry, and rubber cement, as indicated at 62, is applied thereto, see Fig. 9, whereupon they are placed in the concave recesses or pockets 63 in the conveyor wheel 54. The conveyor wheel 64 is adapted to make one revolution every half hour so that the cement is given sufficient time to become properly conditioned to receive the patch 65. The patch is thin and preferably comprises a layer or sheet of rubber 66 backed or reinforced by the fabric layer or sheet 61. While the patch is preferably round, it is otherwise not preformed in any way and is substantially fiat as illustrated by Fig. 10.

After the balls have traveled around with the conveyor wheel 64 one revolution, they are removed and a patch 65 is applied to the cement 52 thereon. This is preferably a manual operation, the fabric backing 61 being on the outer side and the rubber layer 66 being on the inner side for coaction with the cement 62. Figs. 11 and 12 show the patch in place, the thickness of the patch being conventionally shown in Fig. 12.

The filled cores are then placed in the concave recesses or pockets 58 of the conveyor wheel 69 under the concave form-fitting holders 10. The holders 70 are urged to hold the patches 65 in place by the leaf springs 1| connecting them to the conveyor wheel 59 as illustrated by Figs. 13 and 14. The wheel 69 is adapted to turn one revolution in every twenty minutes, thereby giving the cement 62 sufficient time to set and seal the patch 65 to the exterior surface of the sphere. Thus, when the cores are removed from the wheel 69, the needle incisions therein are effectively sealed by the patches 65, the latter permanently conforming to the spherical shape thereof.

The cores thus formed are nowready to be wound and/or covered in the usual manner. The cores are well balanced thereby providing an accurate flight of the finished golf balls.

While I have described my invention in connection with the filling of golf ball centers with honey, it is to be understood that this is to be taken as a preferred example and not in a restrictive sense. My method and the apparatus employed therein are very efficient and effective for the purpose intended.

I have illustrated and described my improvements in an embodiment which I have found very practical. I have not attempted to illustrate or describe other embodiments or adaptations, as it is believed this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my improvements as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. The method of making a fluid type core for golf balls and the like, which comprises filling a hollow sphere of elastic material through a hypodermic needle piercing the wall of the sphere, with a liquid and of the proper quantity to fill the sphere, the elastic wall of the sphere expanding during such filling step to accommodate its contents under pressure, and withdrawing the hypodermic needle from the sphere with the incision at the top thereof so that the entrapped air is expelled through such incision by the contraction of the elastic wall of the sphere to its normal size.

2. The method of making a fluid type core for golf balls and the like, which comprises filling a hollow sphere of elastic material of substantial thickness through a radial incision in the wall of the sphere, with a fluid heavier than air and of the proper quantity to exactly fill the sphere, the elastic wall of the sphere expanding during such filling step to accommodate its contents under pressure and with the incision at the top thereof so that the entrapped air and water which may be initially present in the sphere are expelled through such incision by the contraction of the elastic wall of the sphere to its normal size after the filling operation, the incision thereupon closing to temporarily seal the injected fluid within the sphere.

3. In the method of filling golf ball centers and the like, the step which comprises injecting fluid into an elastic hollow sphere through a hypodermic needle piercing the wall at the top thereof and alone supporting the sphere with its wall free to expand, with a measured charge intended to exactly fill the sphere when it contracts to its normal size after the needle has been withdrawn and the air and entrained liquid which may be initially present in the sphere have been discharged through the needle incision by such contraction, leaving the sphere of normal size filled with the injected fluid.

4. The method of filling golf ball centers and the like which comprises injecting fluid into an elastic hollow sphere through a hypodermic needle piercing the wall at the top thereof, with a measured charge intended to fill the sphere after the needle has been withdrawn, and discharging air from the sphere through the needle incision by the contraction of the sphere.

5. The method of making a fluid type core for golf balls and the like, which comprises filling a hollow sphere with a fluid by means of a hypodermic needle, and then subjecting the sphere to a combined cooling and cleaning medium which acts to simultaneously thicken the fiuid contents of the sphere and clean the exterior of the sphere especially in the vicinity of the incision by the hypodemic needle.

6. The method of making a fluid type core for golf balls and the like, which comprises filling a hollow impervious sphere with a fluid injected therein through a wall incision, and then subjecting the sphere toa combined cooling and cleaning medium to simultaneously thicken the fluid contents of the sphere and clean the Wall adjacent the incision.

7. The method of making a fluid type core for golf balls and the like, which comprises filling a hollow rubber sphere with fluid by means of a hypodermic needle, subjecting the fluid sphere with the incision at the top to a medium acting to simultaneously harden the contents and clean the exteriorthereof, applying rubber cement to the sphere around the incision, allowing the cement time to condition itself to receive a patch, applying a thin fabric-backed rubber patch to the cement on the sphere, and holding the patch in place on the sphere with a concave holder under pressure until such patch is cemented to the sphere throughout its area of contact therewith.

8. The method of making a fluid type core for golf balls and the like, which comprises filling a hollow impervious sphere with fluid injected through a wall incision, subjecting the fluid sphere with the incision at the top to a medium acting to simultaneously thicken the contents and clean the exterior thereof, applying cement to the sphere around the incision, allowing the cement time to condition itself to receive a patch, applying a patch to the cement on the sphere, and holding the patch in place on the sphere until such patch is cemented to the sphere throughout its area of contact therewith.

9. The method of filling imperforate spherical rubber golf ball cores, consisting of piercing with a hypodermic needle, forcing a measured quantity of fluid honey at approximately 150 F. into the core, withdrawing the needle, submerging the filled core in water to cool the contents and clean the exterior of the core, and cementing a patch over the needle incision.

10. The method of filling imperforate spherical rubber golf ball cores, consisting of piercing with a hypodermic needle, forcing a measured quantity of fluid honey at approximately 150 F., withdrawing the needle, cooling, and cementing a patch over the needle incision.

11. The methodof filling imperforate resilient spherical golf ball cores without preformed openings with fluid, consisting of piercing the core with a hypodermic needle, injecting a measured quantity of heated fluid honey, and applying a patch over the needle incision.

12. The method of making a fluid type golf ball, comprising filling an elastic hollow sphere through. a hypodermic needle with a measured fluid charge intended to exactly fill the sphere when the sphere contracts to its normal size after the needle has been Withdrawn, such contraction discharging air and/or entrained liquid initially present therein through the needle incision, subjecting the sphere to a cold water bath whereby the sphere is cleaned and the fluid contents simultaneously thickened, applying rubber cement to the sphere around the needle incision, applying a thin patch to the cement, and holding the to the sphere throughoutits' area of contact therewith.

'14. The method of making a fluid type golf ball, comprising injecting into an elastic hollow sphere a measured fluid charge intended to exactly fill the sphere when the sphere contracts to its normal size, simultaneously cooling and cleaning the sphere, applying a patch to the sphere over the incision, and holding the patch in place until said patch is cemented to the sphere throughout 10 its area of contact therewith.

JOHN M. OLDHAM. 

